It’s the end of October and the season’s over. A lot of riders decide to take a break of a few weeks during the off season to recuperate, and many find that this break plays a valuable part in preparation for the following year, but it all depends on the individual rider. The main drawback with taking a break however, is that you’ll have a tougher time ramping up your fitness in time for the new season’s first race.

It’s very hard to maintain race fitness throughout the year. Even if you don’t take a complete rest from the saddle, start planning for next season now with a new training programme, identify which races you want to be at peak fitness, and consult a coach to get the best out of yourself and training regime.

So how is the training going now, you’ve had your chance to get fat and drunk at Christmas and New Year, now the snow is nearly gone you’re back on your bike?